Surprising reasons you’re feeling blue
From what you wear to antibiotics, MICHELE O’CONNOR discovers the unexpected things that are making you feel depressed
DEPRESSION affects around 10 per cent of the population at any given time, according to the Office of National Statistics, and is now second only to high blood pressure among the most common conditions recorded by GPs.
But while bereavement, unemployment and illness are common triggers for low mood, experts say everyday activities, from what we eat and drink to spending too much time online, could also contribute to you feeling down. So what are the causes – and what can you do about them?
TAKING ANTIBIOTICS
Certain antibiotics, including quinolones and penicillin, are linked to depression, say scientists. A large Tel Aviv University study of British patients found that taking just one course of antibiotics can raise the risk of depression and anxiety by around a quarter.
And taking between two and five courses raises the risk by nearly half, they reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. It’s thought that disrupting the balance of bacteria in the gut can harm the way in which brain cells communicate.
Boost your mood: A major proportion of your immune system actually lies in your gut in the form of friendly bacteria, and antibiotics can wipe these out – automatically weakening your immune system.
Restore the balance by promoting the production of good bacteria when taking antibiotics by eating live yoghurt (containing Lactobacillus, for example), but also fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and miso.
YOUR ONLINE ACTIVITY
Addicted to your smartphone? Always online? Swedish researchers found women who spent long hours in front of a computer screen or on their phones (up to 150 hours a week) reported more depression, possibly due to sleep deprivation and lack of face-toface communication.
And a separate study by University of Michigan psychologist Ethan
Kross found a direct correlation between time spent on Facebook and feelings of dissatisfaction, loneliness and isolation.
Boost your mood: Don’t use a social network site when feeling sad or dissatisfied with your present situation as, chances are, it will only make you feel sorry for yourself and more depressed. Consider deactivating your account temporarily or unfollowing those that make you feel the worst.And pick up a bestseller instead.
Those who read books regularly are, on average, happier and more satisfied with life, according to a study by reading charity BookTrust.
SKIPPING THE FISH COURSE
Large population studies have confirmed a link between low consumption of fish and an increased incidence of depression. In a Norwegian study of almost 5,000 volunteers, fish eaters reported having better mental wellbeing than those who did not eat fish at all. It’s thought the polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish act as a mood stabiliser.
Boost your mood: Aim to eat oily fish – salmon, mackerel, kippers, sardines and fresh tuna – twice a week. Don’t like fish? Take a supplement instead.A four-year Canadian double-blind randomised trial involving 432 patients found that omega-3 supplementation was
as effective as antidepressants for patients diagnosed with depression. Try Healthspan High Strength Omega 3 (£7.95 for 120 capsules; healthspan.co.uk). THE PILL
While many millions of women take the Pill without problems, a significant minority say it has an effect on their mental health.
Several studies, including a recent one from the University of Copenhagen of more than a million women, found a clear link between hormonal contraception and subsequent diagnoses of depression.
Those using the combined pill were 23 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with depression and those on the mini-pill 34 per cent more likely.
Boost your mood: If you have experienced (or have a family history of) depression or anxiety, speak to your GP about alternative non-hormonal contraception options. TOO MANY COFFEE BREAKS
In the same way that sugary and fatty foods can leave you on a roller coaster of emotion, so too can coffee and high caffeine energy drinks, warns nutritionist Patrick
Holford, author of
The Feel Good Factor (Piatkus, £12.99).
Consuming caffeine sets off a stress response to your brain which then stimulates production of adrenaline, making you more alert, he explains. “In the long term, however, too much caffeine throughout the day causes constant adrenal overload.
“As a consequence, an increasing number of people are suffering from chronic anxiety, panic attacks, low mood, stress-related weight gain and insomnia.”
Boost your mood: Cut back on caffeinated drinks and eliminate them after 4pm. If you can’t go without a hot drink in the evening, try non-stimulating herbal teas such as chamomile or peppermint. BEING INDECISIVE
The term The Paradox of Choice was coined by Barry Schwartz, an American psychologist and author to describe the anxiety that shoppers feel when they are faced with too many choices. Even though we have more choices than ever we are actually suffering more with stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness and a lack of happiness.
Boost your mood: By all means research expensive purchases, like cars, holidays and appliances. But when it comes to everyday items buy whatever’s on offer or tried and tested brands. NIGHT LIGHTS
Whether it is from the street lights outside or the dim glow of your TV, being exposed to light while trying to sleep can have a negative effect.
Lights can interfere with secretion of the hormone melatonin, which helps let the body know it is time to sleep, found an Ohio State University study.
Boost your mood:: Invest in blackout blinds if you have a street lamp outside your bedroom window. Switch off all electrical appliances and either turn your electrical alarm clock away from you if it has a light-up display or change to an old-fashioned one with no lights. YOUR CLOTHES
Professor Karen Pine of the University of Hertfordshire found that what we choose to wear is heavily dependent upon our emotional state. She found that when women were feeling depressed, they were more likely to wear jeans and a baggy top.
Boost your mood:Wear clothes you associate with happiness, even if you’re feeling low, because of the strong link between clothing and mood state.
Professor Pine’s study found that “happy” clothes that make us feel good are well-cut, figure-enhancing and made from bright and beautiful fabrics.The colour blue has a positive impact on mood, lowering blood pressure and instilling calm. YOUR CIGARETTE HABIT
Smoking increases your depression risk by 41 per cent, according to scientists who spent six years monitoring 8,556 adults. Nicotine sends the elation brain chemical dopamine soaring, then plummeting, leaving you down.
Boost your mood: Quit to revive your health, mood and finances. People using e-cigarettes to quit smoking are about 95 per cent more likely to report succeeding than those trying without, according to a large, University College London-led survey of smokers in England.